This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-374534, filed Dec. 7, 2001, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a disc drive suspension incorporated in an information processing apparatus such as a personal computer.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 16 shows a part of a hard disc drive (HDD). This disc drive comprises a plurality of suspensions 3 that individually support magnetic head portions 2 and actuator arms 4 that are mounted individually with the suspensions. The magnetic head portions 2 serve to record information on the respective recording surfaces of discs 1 for use as recording media and read information from the discs 1. The actuator arms 4 are turned around a shaft (not shown) by means of a positioning motor (not shown).
Each suspension 3 includes a base plate 5, a load beam 6 extending from the base plate 5 toward the head portion 2, a flexure 7, etc. A proximal portion 6a of the load beam 6 is fixed on the base plate 5. The flexure 7 is fixed on the load beam 6 by laser welding. A slider 8 that constitutes the head portion 2 is mounted on the distal end portion of the flexure 7.
The flexure 7, which is provided with a wiring portion, extends from the head portion 2 toward the base plate 5 along the load beam 6. An end portion of the flexure 7 is fixed on an extending portion (not shown) that protrudes sideways from the proximal portion 6a of the load beam 6. External lead wires are connected (bonded) to electrode pads on the end portion of the flexure 7. Before bonding, therefore, the end portion of the flexure 7 must be fixed in advance in a predetermined position on the extending portion.
If necessary, a step forming portion may be formed on the extending portion by press working or the like. If the extending portion is thus formed having the step forming portion, its position and shape are liable to variation. If the end portion of the flexure is fixed in the predetermined position on the extending portion that varies in position and shape, stress such as tensile, compressive, or torsional stress is produced in the flexure. If the stress is produced in this manner, the rolling angle of the flexure cannot be within the range of a tolerance, and exerts a bad influence upon the properties of the suspension.
Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide a disc drive suspension in which an end portion of a flexure can be fixed to an extending portion without producing excessive stress such as tensile stress in the flexure.
A suspension of the present invention comprises a load beam, a flexure, and an extending portion formed on a hinge member or the load beam. First and second holes are formed in the extending portion. Further, third and fourth holes are formed in the flexure. A first positioning pin can be inserted into the first and third holes. A second positioning pin can be inserted into the second and fourth holes. These positioning pins are provided on a jig.
The first hole is formed of an elongated shape that allows the extending portion to move relatively to the first positioning pin in a width direction. The second hole is a large circular hole or the like that allows the extending portion to move relatively to the second positioning pin in the width direction and an axial direction. The third hole is an elongated shape that allows the flexure to move relatively to the first positioning pin in the axial direction. The fourth hole is an elongated shape that allows the flexure to move relatively to the second positioning pin in the axial direction. The axial direction described herein is synonymous with the longitudinal direction of the suspension, and the width direction is the width direction of the suspension.
In the disc drive suspension that comprises the load beam, flexure, hinge member, etc., according to the present invention, the respective positions of the extending portion on the hinge member and the flexure can be regulated, and excessive stress such as tensile stress can be prevented from being produced in the flexure.
In the suspension that is formed having the extending portion for fixing an end portion of the wired flexure to a proximal portion of the load beam, according to the present invention, moreover, the respective positions of the extending portion and the flexure can be regulated, and excessive stress such as tensile stress can be prevented from being produced in the flexure.
In the disc drive suspension that comprises the load beam, flexure, hinge member, etc., according to the present invention, furthermore, the respective positions of the extending portion on the load beam and the flexure can be regulated, and excessive stress such as tensile stress can be prevented from being produced in the flexure.
In the present invention, a longitudinal part of the flexure may be designed to pass over a slit formed in the hinge member.
Alternatively, in the present invention, an end portion of the flexure may be formed extending rearward from the base plate mounting portion. According to this invention, a longitudinal intermediate portion of the flexure can be fixed on the extending portion.
In the present invention, moreover, the extending portion on the hinge member or the load beam may be formed having a step forming portion. According to this invention, the step forming portion of the extending portion can prevent excessive stress such as tensile stress from being produced in the flexure despite variation in the accuracy of the extending portion.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.